1. The Field of the Invention
In general, the present invention is directed to an apparatus for supportively assisting a user to maintain balance and stability. In particular, examples of the present invention are directed toward walking assistance devices, such as walking sticks, canes, and/or crutches, which provide for stability and facilitate comfortable and reliable use.
2. Background and Related Art
Conventional walking assistance devices are generally thought of as a medical device that may support all or part of a user's body weight due to an associated injury or medical condition. Alternatively, walking assistance devices may be used in recreation to provide stability, for example when mountain hiking. In order to improve the mobility of users, various shapes and sizes of walking assistance devices have been used as supportive aids. Traditionally, walking assistance devices are made of metal, and are configured to extend from the user's underarm (in the case of a crutch) to the walking surface, or extend from the user's hand (in the case of a walking stick or cane) to the walking surface. Walking assistance devices may be used for just a few days, or alternatively, they may be used a lifetime depending on the needs of the user.
As walking assistance devices have evolved, the conventional walking assistance device configurations have often lacked mindful designing and engineering, thus preventing a user from using these walking assistance devices in a way that facilitates a comfortable body motion. The inability of many conventional walking assistance devices to provide a natural and comfortable supporting aid may lead to additional health problems and/or conditions due to the use of the walking assistance device. For example, carpal tunnel syndrome and neuropathy are two medical conditions that a user may incur as a result of using a walking assistance device that does not facilitate comfortable body movement. Moreover, conventional walking assistance devices may cause injury to a user due to the instability or lack of appropriate traction on the walking surface by the walking assistance device.
Accordingly, one possible way in which conventional walking assistance devices may prevent natural movement, and/or cause instability that leads to user injury, deals with how the end or base of the walking assistance device contacts the walking surface. For example, conventional walking assistance devices may include a flat, rigid base that contacts the walking surface. Such an example base may produce angulations as the user is using the walking assistance device that forces unnatural and aggravating body movement if the user wishes to keep a large surface area of the flat base in contact with the ground, which may lead to health problems. Moreover, if the user does not try to keep all of the flat base in contact with the ground, it may produce a situation where only a small portion of the base interfaces with the walking surface so that the base does not properly grip the walking surface. In this situation, the base may slip on the walking surface and could result in the user being injured in a fall or aggravating a condition while trying to catch his/her balance.
Past attempts to improve the conventional walking assistance device base leave much to be desired. While some designs attempt to address these long held aspects of conventional walking assistance devices, they do so with a significant decrease in the stability of the walking device, and in particular, to the ability of the walking device to grip the walking surface. Other attempts have offered bulky and complicated base assemblies which are prone to failure and/or are expensive.
Accordingly, what is needed is a walking assistance device that permits natural comfortable use and provides stability, reliability, and affordability.